Turkish social media shuts down after aerospace center attack

The government of Turkey shut down major social media platforms shortly after terrorists stormed the headquarters of the country’s largest aerospace and defence company TUSAS in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday morning.

Following the deadly terrorist attack, which resulted in the death of five people and the injury of over twenty others, social media platforms, such as X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, were put on lockdown, as well.

As reported by the Mirror UK, NetBlocks, one of the world’s largest internet observatories that monitors cybersecurity issues and digital governance, has announced a lockdown on the social media platforms in the country through a post on its X account.

“It has been confirmed: Live metrics show that social media platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have been restricted in Turkey,” NetBlocks wrote in an article on the X platform.

In light of today’s deadly attack at Turkish Aerospace Industries’ headquarters in Ankara, the authorities have imposed a broadcast ban on the media.

There is, however, no information as to when the lockdown on social media platforms will be lifted in Turkey.

According to eyewitnesses, the explosion was followed by a hail of gunfire that was heard throughout the area.

As a huge plume of smoke billowed into the air, images also showed significant damage to a number of structures outside the complex in addition to a huge plume of smoke billowing into the air.

As reported by the Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya at the time of the attack, the two attackers – a man and a woman – were also killed as a result of the attack.

In spite of the fact that Yerlikaya did not identify those responsible for the attack, Turkey’s Defence Minister Yasar Guler pointed a finger at the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).